Apparatus for operating and controlling the doors of tramway or like vehicles



H. R. HocKLEY der.' 4. V1921. I f '1,644,380

APPARTUS FOR OPERATING AND CONTROLLING THE DOORS 0F TRMVIAY OR LIKE VEHICLES Filed Aug. 4. 1926 .bj mmf/amg@ v Patented Oct. 4, 1927.

.narran vstrates i l tannin i. area-'ifA ortica y HORACE REGINALDHOCKLEY, or stoven, ENGLAND, AssrGNon fro THE NATIONALv PNEUMATIC COMPANY, OF NEW' YORK, N. Y., A CORPQRATION'OF WEST VIRGINIA. y

APPARATUSV non oPEnATING AND CONTROL-rime THE nouns or TRAMWAY on nniznA ,Y i vnnzrctns.l y x 'l i vAppiieaiion mea Augusta, 192s, serial No. 126,994, and in vGreat Britain sepiemberui, 1925.

This invention relates to systems of and apparatus for operating and controlling the doors of electric tramway ycars and other vehicles by fluid pressure of the kind having electro-magnetic means for controllingthe supply of air for operating the doors. The

v system and apparatus may be, and preferably is, of thetype having electro-magnetic Vmeans comprising a highvolt-age and a low volta geV` electro-magnet the former energized by the traction vcurrent supplied to the car mot-ors'and the latter byregenerative cur-4 rent'l from the motors when traction current is shut off andthe car is coasting, and valves controlled by" the said electro-magnetic means the arrangements being such that the doors applying to the direction of travelof the car'are maintained closed so long as the car is travelling above a predetermined low speed*` at which the low`- voltage fmagnet ceases to be energized.` i

""The apparatus according .to this'invention is particularlysuitable for use for operating and controlling the doors of electrically pro-` p sengers and for the prevention ofl unauthorpelled tram'cars of the known one-man type, Vand has for its ,object to provide a `sinnpl'e system and apparatusf'wherein the valves, pipes and other parts are reduced to al minimum havingregard to requirements necessary to provide for the safetyV of pas'- ized entry tothe vehicle.' 1. 4lin the apparatus according to this inven# t tion, as in' earlier systems for foperating'a'nd controlling the doors ofV electric tramcars, the appropriate entrance dooris Vopened by the 'driver jbut the corresponding'exit'door is vonly released by him and isautomatic'ally opened when a passenger stands on a treadle platformathacent th'eLsaideXit door. The apparatus, also as 1n earlier systems, comprises dead-mams valveV apparatus whereby should'thedriver become incapacitated andrelea-se his grip on his brake handle the doors of the yvehicle will be released, and` devices.

for the actuationv the door engines and valve pullers being supplied from the main reservoir on the car through suitablevalve In the system and apparatus according to the present invention eachy of the engines by which the doors are pneumatically operated is controlled by its own electro-magnetically operated valve, as in certainknown systems, and the doors, are also y controlled by `the driver and such other factors as may be vconsi-dered necessary for the safetyof the pas f sengers and/or` the r,correct and eficient' working of the apparatus.,l The quantity of piping to beexha'usted 'when-a door is tobe operated. is considerably reducedy asgcom-jy paredvv1th theprevious systems above re-l ferred to,'and, the electro-pneumatic valves being 'arrange-d close to the door engines,the

voperations of opening and closing a doorcan be more quickly carried out and the duration of car stops reduced, and the construction,v

and arrangement of the various parts vis not* only such that should 'the air pressure-'fail the doors are release-dl so that. they may be' opened'by lia`nd,;butiy should afailure ofcourrent loccur thefd'oors will also ,bel similarlyreleased on the driverV applying the pneumatic-'brake ofthe car by releasing his-grip'- on his i dead-mams valve.r

The invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts as setforth' 1n the appended claims and as hereinafter de-- scribed with reference tof thegac'companying drawing which shows diagrammatically an embodiment of thel invention suitable' fory use on van electric tramcar 0f. the type known'- as aoneman car. f 1 i.

Referring to the draWing','A"andy B indi. cate the opposite ends of the'vehicle, theend' A being, in the position of theV parts shown, the driving end of the car, thesereference letters also indicating what may be `considered as the drive'rs positions at the respective ends Vof the car. lY is .the compressed' airl reservoir which is fed from asuitable air compressor by a pipe 2, ,3 being a pipev lead-v ing to the air brake apparatus of the vehicle. 4 and 5 indicate the dead mans valves,

and 6, 7,8 and 9` arcoloor'engines of known -construction controlled by Valves 6a, 7a, 8?,

lby VVavrpipe 10i to` supplyr' pipe lll4 extend Q The' supply' pipe V11 is connected at its ends]V ing from endtoend of the .car andk by pipes v12 and 13' to ports of kan electro-pneumatic i voltL electro-pneumatic vValve or' no-volt valielV Y and.; which isv hereinafter. described.

i v to ports in tlie casings of the respective dead# mansyalves lando to other ports of which are"connected` the: ends of a pipe 14 which deadinansyaliveffas;shown the Valve -'at ,ftlsref end.; B olfthe vcari-Pluis a port open. by' a pipe `ll-to the atinospliere and the other` deadmansgvaliiedf lies .a port to which conmde-pipe- 116 leading" toa port-` the llveyasing vot?.the-111o-Volt valve GT and.

f T- fnovoltvalve device @comp-rises and opening A Ving from: end to eneloffvtlie vehicle `and sup,-

plyingrairjfoif the door engines Y i t ein-"valve -pirllersiand conveniently f termed i the i do''Ork-feed` 'piilieilz7 Whereasv when stonr is 'ptit' to eXhaii'st thev slide i piume tionfwitli-'t p K Whioh 1el connect l: to Vapport in Vthe easing of fniil v.tifaiklvexolr n'rber-pipefl; leadingffroin the slide i feed. pipeQS and the latter is placedin'comliefva'lfvefchaniber piped@n I'rbe'd;V and@ also,V as in priorsystenis5-bfy a pg* togtlie known brakeeinergency valve port in the'. dead-Inans valve 4 at oftliey carl In' the portion' ofi-the valveicasingfair isolating" cockwor: Valve 27 'A mptowi'diedi'iTlis-Vis:conveniently,- inr the form oli-a simple onefwayfplug cock whereby vvlie the driver lis changing endsplieA can llzthe door control pipesawhilstftliey are ful-*lycliaftgeilzwithieompressed air, thus-holding Y the doors closedimtil he is again ready'to on of compressed operated valveof'. tloetno-y voltvalvedevice C-aisfsiiclmthat when air is ositioifiis in @which position' air: fiioin Y "the" 'main [reservoir 1sVv :enti-oil" from. the door acl'init passengerst and preventing' VWaistage 'K oit airi on the cle-energizationof the lnovolt Valve magnet 18, due tov removal of the tifo'llley polie. or other current collector from tlie overhead Wire or otlireizsupply eonclufetor when effecting the process ofv .changing ends. Y y

y The air supply for operating the Valve `pullers 6b, 7b`- 8h and 9b Vofthe ,door engines is controlled by`velectro-pneiin1atic Valves 6?,

70, 8C andy 9% one. Jfior eaelif of ,tlae tourA Valve pullers these electro-pneumatic. valves bei-ng so arranged. that when. their magnetsareA energized air ifs-exhausted from. the: valve' pnl-*ler cylindersv and the valves actuated by tliepullers are in position admitting air to soV the door engines tol open the. doors,V Whereas. f when the sardlmagniets are -de-energizezd is .admittedto the valvel puller cylinders Y( @wlificlisifs-the normal ifi-inning` condition) and the Valves actu-ated by the pullers: arev in. position admitting air toftlie door engines to hold tlie/-doors closed..v` 28,2973() and 3l pipes'V supplyingycoinpressed air frein"k to, the. Valves 6'3"?,V 8-C and 9,Y and.y 32, '335, 34e and 35 are pipe conneetions from;

th-eNeed-i-A pipe 23,7, to the Valves 6?, V7a, ,87a f and Y i. l This yelectrical volt'valve C and tlieydoor engine -eleetropneumatic va-lifes,rv yarchange over. switch: at

treadle switches 31a, 'il'intlieeireuits oi the electropneuinatic valves relating to tlie exit doors; the. fair sWitch- D',V a switch device E which., may ,bei termed, a line interlock.

g portion-of. the'L door. oontrol V apparatus comprises iin','additions toithe ino ca-ch endof': the ear under .control of the 'Y dri-iter theses-Witchesloelngjinaifked 36??, 3611' l 1,05 The change over switches 36? may be of any suitable kindandare so arranged ign car iis-,in the open, or off position and that at the driving or orward end is in the'v closed thel ciiciiitvthat, inthe running,condition Vof i L the-parts, ,thee-Witch. at the rear end of thel or onposition.y 'Fliese switches'inay loe arf rang-ed tobeoperated by a'li-andle or key l whiclitliel driwer takes with lifiin when vlie ment being such/that the switch inns-t bei the off or open position, tofremove-tileliandie` and Willi remain in that position `nntil the f handleis replaecd androperat-ed to place the switeli` in theon or vclosed-l positionT Where upon the handlewill be lockedor hel-d against -Y removal( The; changeover switelies at? one orlootli endsof the, oar. may loe. arranged for .operation from either vtlie outside or. ineinsideof the canas desired.;

The treadle sW-itehes a,-

SZ? may beet any siiitablej type and each is so arranged inas`I- ,sociation with; a treadle platform adjacent theeorrespondingexit door that, the switch,

Wliicli'is normali` f o en or Foi fis closed lo i f, f, Y 5

lcli'ai'iges ends,y the-construction: and arrange- 115 the depression of theftreadle platform by theweight of a passenger standing thereony as he proceeds to alight.y

The air switch comprises the cylinder 25, a piston 88 and a contact makerl 39 carried by the piston rod and the-arrangement is such that when airis being fed'to the cylinder 25 the contacts 39 are in the open position and when the cylinder is placed to exhaust the contacts are automatically `closed by a spring. The cylinder 25ct thisV air switch is constantly open to the valve chamber pipe 16 and to the pipe 26 leading therebroken; one of the magnets 40 is adapted to be energized whenever current is being suppliedl to the traction motors and the other, 41,l when the 'car' vis running with cnrrentcut olif' from the traction motors anda regeneraL .tive current of' sullicient strength is being' set up by the said motors. A

Current from a suitable source ot supply,

` preferably the supply-ofv traction current, is

fed into the electrical port-ion of the apparatus by awire or lead through a suitable protective device or devices46, a manually operable cut-out switch 47 and` it may be, a resistance or other means to'reduce the. volt` y age to the desiredextent.r The current passes directly by vone lead wirei48 tothe no-volt valve device C and thence to earth, and 'anf other .lead'49 is taken through the linev interlock E and air switch contacts 89, after pass# ing through which it Vis divided into two branches or leads, 492497 in parallel,` one passing ythrough j each changeover switch. From a change over switch the respective lead is taken to earth by two `branches' in parallel, 50a, 50b or 51a, 511?,` one 50 or 51.1 through the appropriatel lentrance electropneumatic door y:valve and the 'other 50D: or 50a through the corresponding treadle switch vand the electro-pneumatic valve of the exit door. y, 4 f The operation of the system and lapparatus above described 4is briefly as yfollowsz--f .Assuming the car to be running with end A leading, switch47 being closed and valve 27 open, the condition of the parts of the apparatusis thatthe ilo-'volt valve'magnet 18 and the shunt coil 40 of the line interlock 'E are energized'7 and as the'contactsl44 of the line' interlock are open'th'emagnets of the electro-pneumatic door valves 6, 728 and 9c are de-en'ergized. As air pressure 1s 1n the valve chamber pipe 16 the brake emer' gency valve is held in the-brakes oil, position and the air switch is in position alsov 'breaking down the circuitsjof the electro- .Kal

pneumatic door valves; the said electroneumatic valves 6c 7. 8C and9c bein@` in position opening' th-evalve puller cylinders to air supply, air is on all the doorengines holding the doorsclosed; the treadle switches 372-37" are open; the change overswitch 36b at end- B of the car is open ensuring the breaking down of the circuits of the electropneumatic valves'S, 9C ot the doors of the appropriate side of the car, the change over switch 36a at end Alot the car isclosed,V the dead-mans valve 5 at end B of the cariis in the released position placingl 4the dead-mans pipe 14 to exhaust at that end of the vehicle, and the vd`eadmans valve 4.at end A of the car is inthe operated position closing the end of the dead-mans pipe-14 and connecting the supply pipe 11 to the valve chamber pipe 16.

Assuming the driver desires to stop the car forthe entrance land exit of passengers,y he will first shutv off powerfrom the traction` motors and apply his brakes. The shunt coil 49 of the line interlock E will thus be -deenergized but as the motors will set up a re- `generative cuirentthe series coil 41 will be energized and thev doorcirc'uits will remain broken at the line interlock- On the car coming to rest the regenerativev current will have ceased. the `series coil 410i the line interlock will have been deenergized and the circuit will'be closed at the contacts 44 of the car, to exhaust. The airswitch eyinder 25 and the Vbrake emergency valve `areV thus put toexhaust, the doory circuit being closed at the contacts 89 'of thek air switch D and the 'maintenanceof the application'fof thev air brake being ensured bv the operation of the Aemergency valve.' VvThe circuit ofv the electro-pneumatic valve 6c of they entrance door for the appropriate'side of the car is completed 'and the valve operates placing the valve puller cylinder to exhaust. rThe valve puller 6b places the door enginey valve 6a intothe lrequired position andthe doorv engine 6 f i operates to open the door. 0n a passenger' standing on the treadle platform of the ap` propriate exit door, the circuit'ot` the electropneumatic valve7c of that door' is completed and thatdoor opens. As soon as the trea'd'le plat-form is free of the weight ofa passenger the circuit of theexit door 'valve 7, is broken at the treadle'switch 37b, the valve puller@b v chamber pipe 16 and the latter-isvr connected 'Y operates Vandthe door engine 7 closes the efxitfdoor.. When. all passengers' have entened the? driver again grasps thehandle off hisdeadmamsvalve 4 and by so doing the dead-mans pipe 14 is cut' ctf trom thevalve to" the supply pipe -llqse that air' is V.again supplied to-t-he'air vswitch D and the brake 'emergency valve. The door circuit isy thus 'breken at the Yair switch li) and,-the magnet of fthe entrance door `Aelectro-pneumatic valve f6 being de-energized, the said door will be closed. The brakeemergency valve willbe restored tothe. running position and the driver is tree te take oft his brakes and Vetz-nt the Carg On current-being. fed to the'y ,traction meterstheshunt coil- 40 of the line.

interlock Willbe energized and. therpdoor cir'- cuit-Willbe also :broken dewnx'at vthe line in- JWhen thecar reaches vthe of .inaenefdirection'and the driver Vhas to change ends h'e'first epe-ns the. door-s` fer the direction-of the run he has completed, allowing the passengers to alight'. He then operates theV change-over svvitch?l atend Aoi' Y 5 `the cartoopen the circuit. at the said switch.

He then removes ythe handlev from `the deadmans-:valire 4V and proceeds-to change ends ofthe car, butbefore changingoverl-,fthe trolley pole or ether'zsupplylead means 'for 'Qtlieitractioncurrent hezcloses the isolating cock527 so thatnctwithstanding the; valve .chamibeff'pipe lfbeing placedte exh'austat i thedeacl-finansfY 'valve lat end fA ofthe car',

Y ythe deenergizinguoithemagnet 18 of ,the

' 11e-velt val-ve? v `device G and the consequent meveinent. 'of the:` valve `1,9' Vte connect the *door feed; 'pipesQZyy 23 -to the valvel chamber pfipe' 165.-: theairpressure vvwilll not be ex-y f fhauste'd frtinn the doorffecd pipe and the.

doors'willgbeheld intheir l'areexisting state;

they Wheldeor'equipment air supply on fthe carfwill thus not' be exhausted. When ther-change ove-rl otfthe" trelley pole or the equivalentV has been i completed, the magnet i z 18ofthenolvoltvalveC lwillv again beenerl Vgiz'ed 'arid' the valve' 1 9restoredto` normah and the-'driver will thereupronopenfthe isolatingfcocle'QTy-after Vwhich-,he will go'to end Bi ol? .the 'f car: and' ope-'ratez the change over switch 363? at `that'end thusfclosing the centactsatV that switch `in the:a circuit 'controlling 'thevalves',` 9 otfthe'door engines for operating. the doors ef thejsidFe-e't the; car ap)- .plrornuate for :the new.y direction fof. travel.

FAS' .the cirenitfvvillv also .beA madezat the yair switch D and linel interlock E, onthe deadvnianisi handle!atend Bg of the carbeing :the driver and the valve actuf fated, the entrancefdocr for the newk d-irection yof'traneliwillbeeopened by the door engi-ne 8,1 the exit dco-rjfremaining closed:` as the cirenit=ier that door will beopen at the tread'le switch `Other` ope rations of the apparatusffor the new directionfo'f running .will

follow as'A required and Will be understood from the foregoing Without nrther description. i

In the-event of the supply Vofcurrent fail-y ing' from/any cause, or lthe trolley leaving theftrolley Wire, during running of the car the pipess22 250i? the door operating and controlling system would be coupled to the valve chamberlpipe 16.b.y the no-volt valve device C', and' in vievv'r 'of the emergency the driver would release his gri ren the dead-y mans valve and` sofp-lacethe pipe 1G to enfc hanst, thus exhausting all pressure vfrom the: door` operating and c ontrolling pipes. The

doorsv would become free te be moved by hand if necessary but Would not be openedv automatically so that if no accident had happened but merely a currentv failli-re .had

4occurred-l passengers Wouldnot-be tempted to alight by seeing. the doors open. It however an accident had occnrred, all the doors,

ori-both sides of they carbeing free, could be opened by the passengers.. c

g 1t will be understood that a non-return lvalve of known constructiom and forming part or the air brake ..eqnipment,', will be f placed inthe pipe 3, sol that air may readily vHow` -from theC reservoir l ytothe brake .systein,v but in the event of the exhaustion of the pipe l() by4 `Way .cf` theno-volt valve C, `air Will nottherebybe removed. from the air brake system. y

v vllhilst various details. of construction and arrangement have been described above, it

is tobe understood that the invention is not l a valve. manually operable vby' 'the driverfand l L adapted in its operated position to restrain opening of. the doors and in its released pe'-, sitiovnv to. permit Vopening ofthe doors, `an electro-magnetically controlled valve` device controlling the compressed air supply to all the door yengines and to the means `operate .ing and controlling theirl distributing valves and includinglam electrmagnet energizable by the',l propulsion current, pipes connecting the varioirspneumatrc devices including. a door engine feed p1pean`d"c1rcu1t Wires 'for' poses set forth.V

trpolling, doors'on tramwayrr and like cars as the various` electrical devicesfor` ythe ypurthe driver for control of the vdoors is the dead-mans valve of the air brake apparatus of the car.

j 4c. In apparatus` for'operating and controlling doors as claimed in `claim l, the combination with the parts therein specified of a manually operable valve associated with the electro-magnetically controlled valve device and adapted when closed to prevent escape of air from theV door engine feed pipe, lfor the purposes set forth.`

5. In apparatus for operating andV controlling doors as claimed in claim l, the combination with the. parts therein specified and with the kair brake equipment of the car including a dead mans valve of a switch vin the circuits of the electro-pneumatic valves of the door engines, a cylinder and piston for actuating said switch, and pipes connecting said cylinder to the actuating member of the air brake emergency valve and tothe said dead-mans valve, for

; the purposes set forth.

6. In apparatus for operating and controlling doors as claimed 'in claim l, thej combination with the parts therein specified and having associated with each -eXit door a treadle plate adapted to be depressed by the presence thereon of a passenger wish,- ing to alight, of a normally open switch in the circuit of the electro-pneumatic valve of the door engine of an exit door adapted to be closed by the depression of-said treadle plate, for the purposes set forth.

y7. In apparatus of the kind specied, for v operating and controlling the doors of electric tramway cars and other electrically propelled vehicles, the combination of a source ofsupply of compressed air, a pneumatic engine for each door, a distributing valve for each of said engines, operating and controlling means including' an `electro-pneu matic valve for each such distributing valve, air brake equipment including a dead-mans valve at each end of the c'ar and a brake emergency opvalve, an electro-magneticallyv controlled valve device controlling the compressed air supply to all the door engines and to the means operatingy and controlling their distributing valves and including an electro-magnet -energiZabl-el by. the propulsion current, a manually operated switch at each end of the car for rendering operative the door operatingl equipment of the'doors for the appropriate direction of running of the car, a switch in the circ-nits of the electro-pneumatic valves of the door engines, a

door engine feed pipe, circuit wires fory the n various electrical devices, a manually opery able valve associated with the electro-magnetically. controlled ,valve device adapted when closed to prevent escapeof air from the door engine feed pipe, and a normally closed switch in the circuits ofthe electro-k neumatic valves of the door enoines o erable by either of two Y electro-magnets to break said circuits, one energizedwhentrao tion currentis being fed to the traction i motors and the other when the car is running with said current cut off and the` said motors set up a regenerative'vcurrent, for

the purposes set forth. In testimony whereof I affix my signa ture.

HORACE REGINALD HooKLnvf` 

